Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Electrical and Computer Engineering programme. The position is available from 01 January 2026 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

Title:
Quantifying groundwater in the vadose zone

Research area and project description:
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Aarhus University is offering a three-year PhD position focused on extending the capabilities of surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for groundwater measurements. The position is funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Surface NMR is the only non-invasive geophysical method directly sensitive to the water content of the sub-surface. Further, the decay rates of the measured NMR signals are controlled by the pore space and can be linked to hydrological properties, i.e., the ability of the sub-surface to move and store water. However, the surface NMR method generally suffers from a poor signal-to-noise ratio, which often leads to long measurement times and uncertain results. Recently, we have developed a new steady-state scheme for surface NMR measurements which have greatly increased the signal-to-noise ratio and in turn allows for faster mapping speed and more precise data on groundwater.

The aim of this PhD project is to extend the capabilities of steady-state surface NMR towards measurements in the vadose zone where the water content is much lower and NMR relaxation times are shorter than in the fully saturated conditions below the groundwater table. The research entails numerical modelling of the NMR-physics, instrument development, signal processing, and field validation.

The multidisciplinary PhD project draws on knowledge and skills in NMR physics, numerical modelling, programming and signal processing, instrument development, electrical engineering, and geophysics. The PhD student will work in a multidisciplinary research environment, where these skills are available, but the ideal candidate will embrace most or all of them. Further, strong communication and collaboration skills are mandatory.

• Project description. For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.
  

Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants to the PhD position must have a relevant Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in electrical engineering or similar.

Applicants must:

• Have documented experience with scientific programming and numerical modelling, preferably in Python/C++.
• Be fluent in English (written and spoken).
• Have scientific writing and communication skills.
• Possess abilities to work independently as well as collaborate in constructive ways with the other members of the research group.

Prior experience with surface NMR is considered an asset in the assessment of candidates.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aarhus University, Finlandsgade 22, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:

• Associate Professor Jakob Juul Larsen, jjl@ece.au.dk (main supervisor)
• Associate Professor Denys Grombacher, Denys.grombacher@geo.au.dk (co-supervisor)
  

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide. If answers cannot be found there, please contact:

• admission.gradschool.tech@au.dk

How to apply:
Please follow this link to submit your application.

Application deadline is 12 November 2025 at 23:59 CET.

Preferred starting date is 1 January 2026.

Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.
  

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.